by Mary, CASA Volunteer
*Some details have been changed for confidentiality.
There is a little boy who provides the inspiration for my CASA work.
How I Met Jimmy
I met Jimmy* when he was two weeks shy of his ninth birthday, and he looked like a kid out of Disney central casting. He had blond hair, blue eyes magnified by eyeglasses, was a bit on the short side, and had a brilliant smile that melted your heart. The smile was usually accompanied by a quick glance to make eye contact, then he’d look away.
I met Jimmy at a large “team decision making” meeting, which occurs when a child in foster care is being moved from one home to another. He had recently been told that the relatives with whom he had lived for two years would no longer be his guardians. His history was documented in a five inch Department of Human Services (DHS) file—when the file is that big, you know it can’t be good.
Jimmy's History
Jimmy’s parents were substance abusers. He had lived with his mom for much of his early childhood, until at age 6, when he was removed from the home because of neglect.
He bounced among several foster homes for the next year, until a relative volunteered to house him. The plan was for his father to complete rehab, get a job, find housing, and regain custody. (Along the way, mom’s rights had been terminated because of lack of compliance with rehab).
After two years of trying to be clean, Jimmy’s father went back to the streets. Jimmy's relatives said they could no longer care for Jimmy. Jimmy’s maternal grandmother in Oklahoma offered to take him, and that plan was put in motion. Unfortunately, she is married to a man with a record for child abuse, and a home study caught that problem before Jimmy got on a plane. Kids in foster care, because of abuse or neglect often, experience multi-layered family dysfunction.
So after four family situations fell through, Jimmy had no one, and was in the hands of the court and DHS. At this point, the judge said this kid needs a CASA. I entered the picture.
A Child with a CASA
I wish I could tell you I made a huge difference, but in fact, someone else became the turning point. During the same week I was assigned as CASA, DHS “matched” Jimmy with a single woman who was seeking to adopt a child.
The first time I met Jimmy, he was also meeting the person who wanted to be his immediate foster mom and eventual adoptive mom. For the next year, I visited Jimmy and his foster/adoptive mom several times per month, helped her run interference with the DHS service providers, talked with his teacher, therapist, lawyer, etc., and helped Jimmy get adjusted to the idea of a non-relative adoption.
My most important role was to let Jimmy feel like someone was his voice in court, speaking for his best interest. Although the initial plan was for a quick adoption, his therapist, adoption worker, and I agreed that he needed more time, so while he lived with his foster mom, the adoption finalization was extended until he said he was ready, a year after moving to her home. They are doing well, and he is now part of a large, close extended family.
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Name: Cheri D.
